Unique Performance Connects Humans and Trees Amid Climate Change

A group of climate change advocates recently engaged in a striking 15-minute monologue performed directly on a tree, exploring the bonds between humanity and nature.

“We were bringing your ancestors from afar,” one part of the speech reflects. It continues with, “You’ve turned our grayest and busiest places into green, calm havens. You’ve flourished!”

Megan Cossie, one of the participants, expressed her uncertainty about the tree’s reaction, wondering aloud, “I can’t tell if it enjoys the speech. Maybe it’s thinking, ‘I’ve heard this so many times already this week.’”

As part of the performance, participants received different prompts to encourage reflection while they stood around the trunk of the tree. This artistic venture began in 2021 in Brooklyn, New York, with funding from Peace Studios, a nonprofit focused on social change.

During one segment, the performer asked the tree to share its feelings about climate change. Cossie used the words “resignation” and mentioned feelings of “disappointment” and “guilt” emanating from it.

“The play conveys a sense of accountability—’I’m part of this change that’s harming you,'” Matty Panone remarked. “Now I’ll entertain you for the next 15 minutes.” This collaborative piece was written by scenic designer Dan Daly and performance artist Lee LeBreton.

Daly described the work as an invitation for trees to express their narratives, noting, “It’s about letting trees convey what the play should become.”

LeBreton identifies as a “queer, trance experimental theatre maker and performance artist.” She has participated in projects that focus on empowerment and support for LGBTQ+ youth.

Daly is also involved with the National Queer Theatre Collective and is creating an “Inflatable Theatre” exhibition, having recently attended the 2025 Criminal Queerness Festival.

LeBreton emphasized the interconnectedness of all living things, stating, “We hope that audiences come away feeling part of a larger ecosystem, not as the pinnacle of nature, standing alone.”